Orthognathic Surgery NHS UK

[timetosmile]

Hi everyone.

Just joined. First Post. First Day in fixed metal braces and the sun is shining!

I am a 41 year old woman, having spent 30 years smiling with my mouth closed because of crooked overcrowded teeth. I was called fangs at school and my mother did not agree with orthodontic treatment.

I finally decided to put my money where my mouth is and saw a private orthodontist last August who referred me to the NHS due to a severe overbite. The NHS agreed to treat me and seven months later I had fixed metal braces to the top teeth fitted yesterday, moving them forward so bottom braces can be fitted in ten weeks time. Lower jaw surgery will be performed in approximately 12 months time.

NHS treatment does take much longer as you have to 'join the masses' so waiting times are both long and boring - unlike private practice, but both my orthodontist and surgeon are lovely.

I am looking forward to exploring this website and reading other peoples experiences.

One very happy 'ugly betty'

[enigma]

Well done and welcome.
I have had double jaw surgery done in January after nearly 2 years in braces to be honest I didnt find the wait all that bad really you kind of find you have to wait anyway until the orthodontist is happy with your teeth before they proceed so its waiting with the goal in mind for surgery.
I have to say I found my experience on the NHS absolutely fine and would have no complaints from start to nearly finished now lol
Good luck and again well done and welcome xxx

[Jac]

hi,

i am now 5 weeks post op & like you i was also on nhs due to severe overcrowding, overbite & weak chin.

like enigma i also found the wait not too bad, it was the getting started that was the problem, over a year from being referred.

almost at the end now, should be de-braced in a couple of months

hope you have a smooth journey

Jac xxx

[timetosmile]

Thanks enigma and Jac.

It is a great help to find other people who have travelled the same road under the NHS.
I am really looking forward to sitting down and reading about both your experineces . Congratulations to you both now you are through to 'the other side'.

Happy smiling

[suzyscientist]

I'm on NHS as well - I was so scared about the metal braces that I put it off for about 5 years. But I realised I was being daft. I'm lucky to be an NHS case - I get straight teeth for free! I can't wait to get my braces (two weeks time) so I can get my jaw fixed!

I have the opposite problem - bad underbite, small upper jaw and large lower jaw - but same route, 12 to 18 months braces then surgery then wait and see with the braces. I've had spacers for the last 9 days - I get cemented bands on Monday.

Only down side I've come across is that I keep getting a different consultant - I've seen three different consultants over the last year and each one seems to have a different idea about what is necessary! I'm getting a bit confused - have you guys found a similar thing?

[timetosmile]

Hi SuzyS

I have only seen the one consultant, in fact it looks like she will be the only one I see as I my next adjustment/bottome brace fitting is due in 8 to 10 weeks and I have just received one through the post for 12 weeks time! Apparently she will be on holiday and I can't see someone else.... So although I have to wait longer it looks like I will have continuity of care all the way through. I prefer this as it avoids the conflict in consultants opinion that you seem to be experiencing.

That said, I am sure you will be fine

[mamaneedsanewjaw]

I agree timetosmile!

I knew since high school (17 years ago) that I would have to have surgery to correct my massive overbite. I found an ortho I was comfortable with and he highly recommended me to an oral surgeon who pretty much only performs jaw surgery. I did a bunch of research on him and found only favorable information so I am just going to go with him since luckily he is in network for my insurance company.

Of course, I still haven't met him, so hopefully I like him!

Mandy
http://mamasjawsurgery.blogspot.com/

[HelenUK]

Hi, I've just started treatment with the NHS too - i'm 25 and have an overbite and crowding. My first appointment at the hospital orthodontist was july last year, and I get my braces in 2 weeks time, so yeah - I sympathise with your frustrations at waiting for a long time and 'joining the masses'!

how are you doing with your braces? I had spacers last week and now I have all my molar bands on - they are rubbing my cheeks and my tongue quite a bit but it's not too bad. I too have seen just one orthodontist and one surgeon all the way through, which i really like.

Good luck and keep us posted! You're a few weeks in front of me so you have a head start!

[revelvia]

Do any of you NHS patients happen to know what happens if you move house into a different area whilst undergoing treatment? I need the surgery but I haven't yet gone to the consultation as I don't know what's going on with me moving to London; I could still travel down, but I don't know if they would stop treating me as I'd no longer be living in Kent?

Also what kind of braces have you been able to have; would I be able to get the cute pink or other coloured ones on the NHS

And sorry for an influx of questions but this seems like the best topic, how much choice did you all have on your actual surgery dates?

[suzyscientist]

It's cool to have some NHS buddies! I know nobody who has been through anything even remotely similar (none of my friends have ever had braces or anything, let alone surgery) so I'm really loving this site.

I think the worst thing about NHS is the waiting time for the masses I had 7 months to wait before being seen - that's a third of my braces time! But all the practitioners have been great - all my different consultants have been lovely. So far the wait seems to be the worst part of NHS treatment...

Timetosmile - how are you getting on with your braces?

Revelvia - on moving areas it depends whether you move health board too. I think you should be ok to move but check with your consultant about waiting times and how that works if you move health boards.

When I first got referred (five years ago though) I lived in Scotland and saw a surgeon in my home town in England, and the surgeon wasn't bothered as long as I had a registered address within the health board he was based in. Does that make sense? I think it might be different now - I live in Scotland and am getting everything done NHS, but my brother lives in England and has the same condition but his orthodontics aren't included, he has to pay for them. My advice is to speak to your consultant - they usually always want to help their patients, it's the accountants at the head office you need to watch out for

Hope this helps!

S

[sue]

Dear members in the UK, I was denied my upper and lower surgery. I have been in braces for 2 1/2 years. Please help me. I want to fly to the UK for surgery. My health insurance company here denied me after all this time. They said pay from $20,000-$30,000 cash. I am a 54 year old woman and so need this surgery for sleep issues including so receeded lower jaw issues. I also need septoplasty for collapsed inner nose. I am so sad now. Please help me. Sue

[HelenUK]

sue: why do you want to travel so far for surgery? You're not going to get treated on the NHS because you're not UK resident. And imagine flying back and forth for all the appoinments?

[superflyguy]

I'm two years in from the beginning of my NHS orthodontic treatment.

Had my braces on for most of that time and had my Lefort 1 osteotomy, septoplasty and turbinate removal only last Tuesday. As well as wonky teeth I had a very deviated nasal septum which they've tried to do something with at the same time.

Still have too much swelling to tell if the nose will be any straighter but with the upper maxilla further forward its certainly a little wider and I really like it. I hope it stays that way.

All I will say I have been treated with the utmost respect, a higher level of care than I could ever have imagined and with a degree of competence and expertise that has been second to none, and I work for the NHS and see it 'warts an' all'.

It has been an amazing journey that I only wish I'd worried less about the anaesthetic the way I did. I was so scared, (I'm a Charge Nurse in Intensive Care I don't know why I was so scared) but the team were great, I remember being in the anaesthetic room, given something to calm me down and the next thing I was awake being collected by the nurse ready to go back to the ward. Such a good experience.

I have been amazed at just how little pain I've had. The facial swelling has been uncomfy but I don't think I've ever had what I could truly call pain. Not like the pain I see others suffering with at times at work. Paracetamol with a little codiene was all I took when I got home, and for about 16hrs immediately post op I had a PCA with morphine but I hardly used it.

All in all an excellent service and I wouldn't hesitate in encouraging people to go ahead and try.

Andrew

[suzyscientist]

Hey superflyguy - I almost got treated in Manchester! Was on the waiting list at Macclesfield before I chickened out back in 2004.

Have to say that the people I've seen through NHS have been superb - really lovely and so happy to help. It's so lovely to hear some good NHS stories, so many people moan about it; I bet you must get that all the time?

Congrats on your surgery and hope you're back to full strength soon!

S

[sugarcoated]

Dear members in the UK, I was denied my upper and lower surgery. I have been in braces for 2 1/2 years. Please help me. I want to fly to the UK for surgery. My health insurance company here denied me after all this time. They said pay from $20,000-$30,000 cash. I am a 54 year old woman and so need this surgery for sleep issues including so receeded lower jaw issues. I also need septoplasty for collapsed inner nose. I am so sad now. Please help me. Sue

We get treated on the NHS because we pay taxes and are residents, its not for anyone to come here and get free treatment, you would have to pay much more if you came here